Nachalo
by XxthesarcasticonexX
Summary: After the events of CA: TWS, Natasha finds herself back at in New York, at the freshly renamed Avengers Tower. On her way up to her newly assigned room she finds herself making a quick detour to a certain science dork's lab. He's not what she's used to and the fact scares and excites her all at the same time. The growing relationship of Bruce and Natasha, pre-AOU.
1. Chapter 1

AN: I don't own anything. All mistakes are mine and mine alone (and I will forever blame them on the fact that English isn't my first language).

This would take place right after CA:TWS and before any Avengers raiding parties have started.

* * *

It wasn't that she was unfamiliar with the tower, she had visited it and even stayed many times before (at Stark's insistence). It wasn't that she disliked the building, regardless of all its extravagance and glamour, it was actually a very welcoming structure, designed by Tony himself to accommodate each Avenger and see to their particular needs.

So no, it wasn't that she disapproved of the tower, the reason for her lagging through the front doors and delaying in her pace as she made her way across the lobby over to the elevators. Nor was it the thought of running into Stark, for she had just done so; a quick bumping into the other where he was quick to apologize, followed by the reminder of why she was 'welcomed to stay as long as you, so long as you don't hack into JARVIS- again.'

Tony had been in a rush -no doubt to get to California (Natasha had managed to overhear Pepper on the phone Tony had been talking into, causing him to bump into every piece of furniture he owned down there) - and so he had not really thought much of what he had uttered to her. Then again, Natasha thought, when had Stark ever paid much attention to anything he ever said to her?

Natasha managed to reach the elevator and press for the 12th floor as Tony had instructed her to do so in a rushed tone.

Yes, listening to Tony Stark talk about the falling of SHIELD which served as a casual reminder that she had been living on the run for the past month, clearing name after name, going after every scrap of paper she could salvage from SHIELD's files after it's less than gracious fall had been the thing to trigger Natasha's -uneasiness.

Her whole life had been dedicated to SHIELD, to the organization which had been helping her clean the red out of ledger, the one thing in her life she had grown to depend on, and it had been taken from her, right under feet, left with nothing but moral and political problems all around the world. Solved cases which were now questioning the verdict because of the corruption inside the organization, families wanting answers for their deceased members, men wanting to reclaim their thought to be well invested money. Most importantly, she was left exposed to the world, not one cover intact, her political and work records out there for the world to finally view her for what she was made to be, a Black Widow. Years of trying to work in order to be something more than what they had made her to be, and the world still ended up seeing only the assassin, the machine -the monster.

The more she thought about it, the more her queasiness grew, a sensation she was neither proud nor used to feeling. Her brain screamed at her to skip the 12th and the lab altogether and head straight for the kitchen and the liquor cabinet, which she knew to be up on the 20th floor. But she had promised Tony she would deliver the files, and Natasha thought it a bad way to start living at the man's property, by not keeping the promises made to him.

So she gathered herself, stood a little taller, let her straight hair fall down without a break or curl and squared her shoulders as the elevator dinged upon arriving at the 12th, her first stop in her journey to what would now become her permanent residence -at least until she could find something for herself (job included).

The elevator dinged announcing her arrival, but the sole occupant of the entire floor didn't appear in her line of view as she stepped out, her boot clad feet not making a sound.

"JARVIS?" She found herself asking for the ever present program.

"Yes, Ms. Romanoff?" The British voice replied, ever pleasant, ever there.

Natasha ignored the dreaded feeling which threatened to surface within her by being addressed as nothing more than a civilian. She had never been a simple name, she had always worn a title, and -contrary to what she had always believed of herself, she found herself not at all comfortable with being stripped of her titles so suddenly.

"Is Dr. Banner around? His boyfriend told me to-"

"Natasha, hi!"

Natasha raised her eyebrows at his flustered greeting and at him –his hair looked shorter. She had heard his fumbling footsteps the second after she had asked her first question, her ears always sharp and looking for any sounds of disturbance -or flustered scientists.

"Doctor." She acknowledged him, a simple nod with a guarded face which reminded Bruce a bit too much of the Agent he had met down in Calcutta. Bruce had read and seen the news -Tony had gotten drunk to the point of drunk dialing Pepper and threatening to blow up the Tower if she didn't show up- so he knew about the fall of SHIELD, HYDRA's infiltration and -most importantly- about Fury's death.

In truth, Bruce had never been a great fan of the great Director, though he mourned his death as he would of any human, but he understood the importance of him and how people (like Natasha and Barton) had relied on him. Still, Bruce pondered, he had never been a great fan of people who kept secrets and then used their ability to manipulate people with them. A contradiction -his mind informed him, one which had him lightly chuckling and then clearing his throat as he realized the object of his amusement was looking at him puzzlingly.

Well, there was one person he had grown to liking who tended to manipulate people. But then again, they had barely spoken ever since they had beaten the Chitauri, so he didn't really know where they now stood; she had gone back to work, he had stayed at the Tower and played babysitter with Tony. Still, he had found a respect for the red headed woman he hadn't ever given a spy before, her curious, _knowing_ smile after he had returned to New York etched inside his mind, ' _We could use a little wors_ _e_ '.

"Um, you were telling JARVIS something about Tony." He muttered, his voice a little hoarse from being cooked up in his lab all day long, not really speaking to anyone but occasionally to himself.

Oh, he had heard then, Natasha thought as she took in the good doctor, his lab coat on and his thin glasses a bit askew, his voice hoarse with what she assumed was lack of use. He truly fit the lab-rat persona she had always attributed to him.

"Yes, Stark told me to give you these and to remind you, you still haven't eaten lunch and it's nearing five." She informed as she handed him the files Stark had, more or less, thrown at her minutes before. "Your boyfriend sure keeps an eye out for you."

Bruce chuckled at that, his eyes planted on the documents he had received from Natasha's hand, Tony's last review notes on the damned _'Hulkbuster'_ Bruce never wanted to even consider using.

"Yes, when he remembers to feed himself and doesn't have Pepper taking care of him."

Natasha found his comment amusing, glad in finding his sense of humor seemed to match hers. For all she knew of the good doctor (for she had been thorough when Coulson had informed her she had to go and recruit him), she didn't really _know_ much about him. She quirked her head a bit as she suddenly came to the realization that, like her, Bruce Banner preferred keeping his emotions to himself.

A silence which could be described as awkward fell upon them, Bruce reading and Natasha debating on whether to continue her journey up or stay and study the scientist a little bit more, intrigued by her sudden discovery.

"How many suits has Stark built since I last saw him?" Her voice broke the silence and brought Bruce back to earth, his eyebrows raising as he came to notice the fact the spy was still in his lab, her arms crossed and her neck extended so she could read over the reports currently in his hands. Bruce removed the files from her view, gripping them closely to his chest, as if he were protecting them. Natasha smirked at his childish impulse.

Bruce fixed his glasses and furthered into his lab, "Depends on when was the last time you saw him." He gave her an answer, thinking that with it she would probably be leaving the lab.

The decision came to her quickly -she followed him. Besides, Natasha thought, Clint had said she needed some kind of distraction. She didn't think getting settled into her forced new home counted as one.

" _Hulkbuster_. Who thought of the name, you or Stark?" It was a tease, one which took Bruce by surprise, turning around to observe her, his eyes guarded and confused.

Out of all the things Bruce had thought could happen on that day, Natasha Romanoff trying out small talk with him, inside his lab, had definitely not been one of them. Last time he had seen her had been at one of Tony's parties, all of the Avengers had been present and he had spoken to her briefly, tried to apologize for the hundredth time for what the Other Guy had done up in the Helicarrier. She had been polite enough to accept his apology, much like the rest of the times he had already asked for her pardon. But still, the burning question of 'Does she really mean it?' was always present whenever she would smile after telling him 'Apology accepted, doctor. Although I've told you, the Big Guy was a lot of help out there. I think you've more than enough earned a break.'

"Uh, me, I guess. Tony filed it under Mark XLIV, but I threw out the uh, other name when we were discussing whether to make the suit or not."

Natasha raised her eyebrows in curiosity. Not the answer she had been expecting.

"It was meant to be taken as a joke." Bruce found himself trying to justify the ridiculous name Tony had insisted on using. Though, in all fairness, it _had_ been a joke.

"Well, this is Stark we're talking about." She agreed, diverting her gaze from him, taking time to observe the different kinds of equipment he had. Machines and boards she recognized, other she didn't. It was a well-equipped lab, then again, Stark was as resourceful and generous as he was chaotic and impulsive.

"Yeah, that's Tony." Bruce added, his voice low and soft, lined with a hint of affection and discomfort. Natasha suppressed the amused smirk which threatened to appear on her face -she was trained to do so, agent or not. She had thrown Bruce of his balance, the fact was not hard to see. The doctor guarded his thoughts fiercely, all real emotion hidden from the world and from her (something which was not an easy task), but his distress and nervousness showed clearly.

"Do you need anything else, Agent Romanoff?"

Both cringed as he uttered the words. Bruce knew about her current predicament, the last words Tony had uttered to him before literally running out of the lab had been 'Oh and Romanoff is coming in, staying until she can get a mission, or a job, or something which will probably involve scheming someone into misery and/or confusion.'

Bruce had nodded and shrugged the notice off, had thought it very unlikely to meet the ex-spy on that day, deciding to stay in the lab to finish some of the projects he had been postponing because of the work on _Veronica_.

"I'm not an Agent anymore doc." She turned to look at him again, "Kinda in the hunt for a new job actually. So uh, if you know anyone in need of my services be sure to ring me up. I have many skills you know, just not kicking aliens out of the sky." Natasha approached the situation as she knew how, with a teasing smirk and humor in her eyes. Her respond made Bruce blink.

"Yes," he mumbled out, "I heard about Fury. I'm sorry, about him and for you losing your job and the whole…" He tried to apologize, his words suddenly running from him. "I'm kind of familiar with that, so I know it can be sometimes hard -adjusting." He cringed at his own words, even to his own ears they ended up sounding stupid. She was a master spy, not some burdened, complicated, ethically questionable science professor. He had no call on how she could handle a situation like this one.

Natasha nodded as he talked, remembering the files she had read on him, everything from his abusive home to his disappearing acts -both of them. He wasn't a stranger to having your whole life suddenly shaken and changed right before your eyes. He wasn't a stranger to betrayal either -his own body could betray him if he let himself let be careless. So maybe he didn't quite understand what her mind was thinking, but he was the closet human who could try and empathize with her, Natasha appreciated his effort.

"I've had better days, if that's what you're implying. But thanks anyway."

Bruce offered her a weak smile and hoped she would accept his strange apology, feeling like a right ass for rubbing in the fact she didn't hold the title of Agent anymore.

It turned awkward again after that, with Bruce not knowing what else to say to the former spy. He respected her and definitely admired her, but he still had no idea how to talk to her.

Natasha figured it would now be the best time to follow on up, try and find the room Stark had raved to her about which would 'fit her perfectly'. But she couldn't bring herself to it, to go on up and face the fact she was now homeless and jobless. Being on the run, going from place to place, trying to fix the mess HYDRA had created had given her a sense of purpose, a feeling that even if SHIELD had fallen, she could still do something in the world. But the storm was calming the world slowing and taking the time to sort out its last problems. Nick Fury would be 'buried' in a couple of days and Natasha had been called to testify in front of the Pentagon. So back in the US she found herself, hit with the reality of it all -she was nothing.

The words brought a shiver down her spine and Natasha shook her head, ridding her mind of such thoughts. She wasn't nothing, she was Natasha, a strong, intelligent and quick woman, a fun aunt, and on some days: an Avenger. She was simply out of a job.

"Tony said you would be staying here for a couple of days?" His voice was smooth, a little apprehensive and doubtful, but his words reminded Natasha that she was still in is lab, taking time from him and whatever it was he was trying to work on.

"Yes, I have been called to Washington, so I'm staying here for some time." She answered, moving towards him.

With his mind half occupied by a calculation which was plastered on one of Stark's smart boards and half on her, he ended up asking "And after?"

It was a genuine question, Tony had never really specified how long a time she would be staying.

Natasha shrugged in response, moving towards him a bit, finding his little startled jump at suddenly finding her near him amusing.

Because Bruce (barely) understood the fact she had forgiven him and the Other Guy because of what the Hulk had done in the battle of New York, he understood she could greet him and not run away from him whenever she saw him; she was, after all, one of the strongest people he knew. But what he couldn't understand at that moment was her easiness at being so close around him, her persistence at staying and simply observing him and the lab, calmly taking everything in.

Natasha couldn't fully understand it either. She simply knew she had been dreading the fact she had come into the tower with plans on staying there and most thoughts had been pushed aside as soon as she had taken notice of the working doctor.

So she ran with it, with her natural curiosity of learning a bit more about the closed-off scientist and his work inside Stark Tower -or Avengers Tower as Stark had renamed it.

"Not sure yet. Get a job, find a place where I can be sure no one will come and try to carry out their revenge against me."

"Well, that sounds like very thought-out plan. Money, safety- every man's dream." He replied to her, his eyes never leaving the smart board, his fingers going over something making it move around and settle on the other side of it.

Natasha followed his movements with intrigue, Bruce Banner in his natural habitat, finally relaxing in her presence. He was a calm spirit, he reminded Nat of Laura Barton and her steady and unyielding patience (both with her and Clint). He was -easy to be around, a little awkward and silent, but his sense of humor seemed to match hers and for that, Natasha was grateful.

"And Stark Tower doesn't offer you said accommodations?" She decided to throw at him, her eyes on the board, following his hands as they moved around.

"It's Avengers Tower according to Tony. And you have _met_ Tony, right?"

Natasha chuckled, followed by a raising of eyebrows as she noticed Bruce's amused expression directed towards her.

Bruce did not understand what exactly had happened, how from awkward she had managed to get him at ease and back to work without the tension-filled air. He did know he was grateful for it, he didn't dislike Natasha, and he didn't want any stress brewing between them.

"Right, well so much for safety then." She smiled a sly grin which Bruce hadn't seen on her before and found himself appreciating. The tentative conversation a fresh change from what working at the lab with Tony usually entailed. And Bruce smiled a small grin to himself as realized the most probable reason for him taking to Natasha as easy as he had. Unlike Tony, who usually strutted into his lab with a loud voice and talking a mile a minute, she had come in with steady and slow steps, talking with a calm voice and not exploding in a rant about a particulate which would accelerate the deployment of his current suit.

The silence which followed her comment finally wasn't the awkward one which had accompanied them before. Bruce continued working and Natasha observed, either trying to understand what he was working on the board or reading over some of the files he had scattered around the various tables.

Every now and then Bruce found himself asking her for help on something, his tone always cautious and unsure. Natasha locked her eyes with him, her face blank, but relaxed, gladly doing whatever it was he needed help with.

"What about working in one of the labs? You've been a lot of help today." He told her as they each tried to balance a compound on the scale.

"As much fun as today has been doc, I don't think I'm cut out for this." She answered him, her eyes fixed firmly on her scale, her eyebrows furrowing in concentration. Bruce suppressed a chuckle, she definitely looked the part of scientist like that.

"Well, you're much better than Tony, he usually ends up breaking at least one of my test tubes every time he comes in here."

"I don't doubt that." She agreed. "This one's done." She called out, her voice carrying a hint of satisfaction in it.

He turned towards her tube and mix and took it from her hands with a delicacy Natasha couldn't help but stare blatantly at. For such an anger-filled man, who carried a force within him which could easily destroy even the toughest of buildings, Bruce Banner was a gentle man. The paradox perplexed her and intrigued her more than she cared to admit. Finding all these qualities in the scientist made Natasha wonder why she hadn't ever bothered to try and spend more time with him before, he was -refreshing, something different to what she was used to dealing with.

"Ok, so we're adding the reactive to this in ten minutes."

"Why?"

"Because the particles in the compound we just mixed have to activate, react with each other, before I add the finishing reactive element."

Natasha nodded, eagerly listening to his explanation, enjoying how his eyes lit up as he explained the reaction, amazed by his own work. He was good at explaining things, never underestimating her ability to understand him. His enthusiasm was also contagious.

"Which would help in proving the -" She added, motioning towards the long formula written on the piece of paper in front her.

"Yes, if we get a positive reaction."

She nodded again.

"I did mean it though." He voiced after a few minutes of silence, sneaking a glance at her from above his thin-framed glasses. She turned to face him, her face blank from expression, making Bruce nervous all over again.

"You'd be good use in a lab, especially one with a lot of computers." Lame Banner, he thought, that was lame. But she didn't say anything, or change her expression at all.

It took almost a minute for her to respond, her brain going a mile a minute trying to come up with a response which would be appropriate to give. Finally realizing she had none, she turned to look at him, her mask fallen.

"Not my thing. I don't think I'd do well inside the same four walls for an extended period of time."

Bruce nodded, understanding her statement. She was used to moving around, hunting and defending, carrying out the dangerous jobs -the lab would bore her to death no doubt. He suddenly felt stupid for even suggesting the idea, but he had gotten more done in the few hours she had stayed (hours, really?), than he had managed to during the past week.

"A valid reason." He responded, meaning every word of it and finding himself perplexed at realizing he was now starting to care about what Natasha Romanoff thought about him.

If someone would have told Bruce he would come to befriending Natasha on an awkward meeting after she had just lost her job and lifestyle, he would have probably laughed at the idea, not believing any of that were possible. Yet, as the woman reminded him that it was time to mix in the elements, he realized -or more like hoped- he found himself wishing a friendship had indeed been born.

Natasha did not have many friends, it was a burden which had come with the job and the fact she had been raised in a form of isolation. Clint had been her first friendship, something born out of debt and gratitude, something which had taken years to build. Fury had been close to a friend, both of them keeping too many secrets from the other to actually be considered more than close acquaintances. Steve had been a working partner with whom she had developed a nice platonic relationship which reminded her of her earlier friendship with Barton, but without the deep emotional baggage.

She was still learning to befriend, to understand that sometimes there could be a connection between two people without hidden meanings or motives. She guessed it was fitting, how when she had started trying to get people to trust her, all her covers had been suddenly blown, forcing her into being honest, into recreating her life.

Then she had stumbled across Bruce - and she had finally felt the genuine curiosity of getting to know someone. It was a new feeling, and Natasha decided she both liked and hated it. It made her feel -vulnerable, but at the same time, made her feel like the human she had been trying to be ever since Clint had helped her get out of the KGB.

"Well, sun's getting low. I better head on up, before Stark has JARVIS check up on me and finds out I'm out of my chambers past curfew." She gave him a side glance with one of her flirty smiles, not expecting the sudden flush which came upon the doctor's face.

"Yeah, you -should."

Natasha laughed softly, making her way towards the elevator doors.

"Good night Bruce." She called.

"Good…" Bruce started but interrupted his own phrase, "Hey, if you ever want to amuse yourself sometime in the future, just know you're welcomed down here anytime."

Natasha could tell it took courage for the man to tell her that, and she could not help but give him a small smile.

"Told you already doc, I don't do well inside walls. But thank you, for the offer and for-", Natasha hesitated, but if she was going to try and start a friendship with Bruce Banner, she figured it was best to do it right –no lies. "For not rubbing SHIELD or my past in my face."

Her confession startled Bruce and made him stare up directly at her, observing the softness of her face, her calm mask gone, replaced with the tired and beaten up expression of one Natasha Romanoff.

"Not a problem, although, I haven't exactly read the leaked files. I didn't really need any more arson to fuel my dislike for the organization, so I decided against it. And as for you? Well, same as you told me; you did well on the battle of New York, I think you more than anyone deserves a break."

Natasha was startled by his meek confession, and for the first time in a long time (if ever) her face displayed the wonderment. Bruce Banner was many things, Natasha decided, but most importantly, he was a good man; and she felt that out of everything else (job and home included), what she needed most right now was exactly what Bruce Banner could be: a friend.

"See you around, Banner." She called to him and pressed the call button. Bruce only nodded, not sure about what exactly had just occurred, but finding himself enjoying the feeling of whatever it was.

He watched her go, her step as firm and steady as ever, with her head held high and her hair in the same perfect straightness it had been in all day. Natasha Romanoff was a lot of things, some of them (most of them) not even real; but for reasons Bruce thought it best not to ponder over, he felt as if he had just spent an evening with the real Natasha, the woman who had been left inside her after HYDRA had taken all the other personalities from her. Bruce found himself enjoying who Natasha Romanoff was.

The next morning, Bruce got up early, as he usually did, made himself a quick coffee and put on his lab coat, already thinking on what he could do to make the compound he had fabricated yesterday even more stable. He didn't run into Natasha, as he had assumed, nor did he have any messages from Tony or Steve. So he ran to his lab, set up his equipment and checked over what Natasha and he had done the previous day.

He hadn't expected her to come down, knew his suggestion had been silly and created on an impulse. He thought her to be probably be hitting the gym or one of the many other training facilities he knew Tony had built. So he almost let one of his tablets fall to the floor upon hearing the elevator ding at his floor, the high pitched sound being followed by both JARVIS' smooth voice and the soft -and almost silent- patting of feet across the floor.

"Ms. Romanoff, sir."

* * *

AN2: Ok, two in one week, what is happening to me? The title came from google translate, so I've no idea if it's correct or not, but according to google it means 'beginning' in Russian.

I know there's been a lot of 'pre-AOU' works, but I thought I'd take a shot at writing one. I felt like I really wanted to write that first conversation these two had which didn't include apologies or ulterior motives, and because I really feel that after TSW Natasha had to reevaluate certain aspects of her life, and as we see in TWS with her relationship with Steve, trust and friendship are things she struggles with but I think she wants. So I personally think that it was that potential for a calm and easy going friendship what drew her towards Bruce in the first place, then came the whole 'wow we're actually not that different' emotional baggage, leading to the 'I adore this man'.

So this is me, stopping my unnecessary ramble.

And hopefully this is you, clicking on that review button.

x

feriferfer


	2. Chapter 2

AN: So this was originally going to be a one shot, and then this chapter here was another one shot, but I figured if I tweaked it a bit they could work together. So, in the end, this will be three chapters long, which means there will only be one more to go. The concept is still the developing friendship between these two, some key moments in their growing relationship.

I still don't own anything, and all mistakes are still mine and I still blame them on my first language -which is not English.

* * *

She had time on her side. The notice had stated that they would be assembling in the lobby at noon. Natasha looked down at her watch, it was barely nine am.

She was fresh out of a quick shower after her last sparring session with Steve, a productive work out session which also had functioned as a quick debrief on Steve and Sam's little scavenger hunt. As Natasha had predicted, they still had no leads, or the leads they had thought would be fruitful, she had dismantled them and thrown out.

With a quick step, and an ease she had never thought would be present in her pace after living in the tower for so long now, she walked into the kitchen, the room brightening upon her arrival enough for her eyes to adjust without a problem. She saw him then, perched on one of the stools, his head in his hands.

His shoulders were slumped and she could hear his breathing, ragged and coming out uneven. Under other circumstances she would have been cautious, scared even, of finding the doctor in such a state. But she wasn't anymore -at least, she wanted to believe it was the case.

"Bruce" she called out to him. She laid a hand gently on his shoulder and spoke with a soft, calm voice.

He startled, because it was clear he hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings, his concentration solely focused on his breathing.

"Sorry, I didn't hear you come in." He felt the need to apologize, his eyes blinking a few times, his hands rubbing them as if he had been asleep.

"Bed not comfortable for you now, doc?" She gave him a tease as she moved around the kitchen, knowing it was what he preferred, what could actually make him relax and not close up. Humor.

"No, actually, there's this spring right in the middle of the mattress which is keeping me up at night." His voice was laced with amusement and even a hint of sarcasm which Natasha knew was not directed at her, but at the present situation he was trying to handle.

It hadn't been pretty, the first time she had suggested him joining them out on one of their little raiding parties in search for Loki's scepter and any other SHIELD weapons HYDRA had managed to keep. He had shut himself out, the mask he hadn't worn in front of Natasha suddenly present again, his eyes displaying an anger which had reminded her of that closed off (and pissed off) doctor, who had held the scepter in his hands on top the Helicarrier.

They hadn't spoken for the entire week which had followed.

When Tony had suggested it he had even gone a bit green, dry heaving into the kitchen sink.

It was then when Natasha finally understood the reason for Bruce's passionate discomfort towards the idea. She had seen the way his eyes had gotten lost in thought as Tony had narrated all the good he could do, both as the raging green monster and as Dr. Banner. So, it wasn't that he didn't want to go out -didn't want to help. It was the fact he wanted to be out there the thought which frightened him.

She had gone to him that night, he had been sitting in one of the couches in what Tony liked to call the 'play room', much to Natasha's and Bruce's annoyance. The TV had been on, a bottle of vodka on the table and his figure -much like the one in front of her at the moment- had been slumped on the couch, staring into the rolling credits of a movie Natasha hadn't been able to recognize.

She never did prompt him to say anything, simply sat in one of the chairs next to him, but he had eventually given in.

Bruce had figured someone would have tried and reach out to him, and out of all of his options, he had been glad it had been Natasha. So he had talked and she had listened.

"Better tell Tony then." She commented as she slammed the half full bottle of Vodka in front of him, an amused half smirk playing on her lips.

"Yeah, I better." Was all he could say, his eyes wide and questioning.

But he accepted the shot glass she offered him, drunk it down in one single swig. She raised her eyebrows at him, but followed his action.

Silence come over them after that, a calm and comfortable ambiance which both were used to and even would sometimes find comfort in.

"Stark said we're gathering at- uh, noon?" He asked, his voice a bit hoarse and lined with something which Natasha could now recognize as fear. He was terrified, and no matter how good he was at hiding it around the others, he bared it all in front of her. Natasha could never distinguish if she could read him better than anyone at the Tower because of her skills or because he tended to lower his guard around her -she found herself wishing for it to be a combination of the two.

"Yes, the Quinjet will be leaving at a quarter pass. Barton and I will be flying us out and Thor will be meeting us as the base."

"Which is where?"

"On the coast of Argentina, 50 kilometers from Estancia San Pablo. Remote, pretty cold this time of year."

"So, basically pretty homey for a HYDRA base?"

Natasha laughed and poured herself another glass, following his own example of refilling.

"Oh yeah, I hear this time they even have a fireplace built inside." She added as both clinked their glasses together before drowning the liquid in one go, same as they had before.

His amused eyes turned cloudy in a span of seconds, his shoulders slumping again and his head turning down, as if he were deep in thought. Natasha could hear his breathing pattern changing, hitching and releasing with more determination as if he was trying to control his own thoughts by simply altering his inspiration rate.

"You'll be fine Bruce." Her voice was calm and steady, a stability which almost made Bruce give out a sarcastic laugh. It ended up being a small sarcastic chuckle, which had Natasha raising her eyebrows.

"You don't know that, Natasha."

"No, I don't." She admitted, her eyes on his head, trying to get him to turn and look at her. "But I trust you. And I trust the Big Guy."

"I still don't know why you say that." He muttered, his head still down, so she couldn't really get a proper read on his face.

"Because it's true. He helped us in New York, I see no reason why he won't help us now. Besides, I'm pretty sure he likes Tony well enough to follow his orders. It will be good for Stark, having someone to finally obey him for a change."

"Ha-ha", Bruce meant for it to sound offending, still angry at the entire situation, but his words came out with a small smile, one which was getting harder and harder to stop from appearing on his face every time he was around the former spy.

"I still don't think it's a good idea."

"We could really use you out in the field Bruce, both you and the other guy are part of this team."

Bruce scoffed at that, reaching for the bottle once more.

Natasha stopped him, her hand on his. Bruce turned to look at her then, startled by her sudden action. For all the times they had talked -in his lab while he tried to sort out the messes Tony had made, in the kitchen as she tried to tell him how to make traditional Russian plates, in the 'play room' where they would sit and watch a movie in companionable silence- she had never willingly reached out to touch him.

Natasha's gaze lingered on his hand, how hardened, calloused and warm it was. She could feel the steady beating of his pulse from merely grazing it.

"Team, huh?"

Natasha turned to look at him then, her eyes curious, her face relaxed, forcing Bruce to relax his shoulders.

"Why don't you trust me?" She dared to ask him, once she was certain his eyes were locked with hers, once she had him in a place where he couldn't escape her observation.

He removed his hand from the bottle and from her own grasp, his body tensing again, moving further away from her.

"It's not about trust, Natasha."

"Than what is it about? Bruce I can tell you want to help, but you're afraid."

"And aren't you?" He snapped, making Natasha step back. "I turn into this -thing, this monster. I am exposed, with no control over what goes through _his_ mind! Over how _he_ manages his -anger." He continued, his eyes one her, his voice strong but never rising in volume.

"I think you do have control." She managed to get out, her tone of voice mirroring his, trying to match him before attempting to bring him down, to make him calm again. It was true the Hulk would be of help out in the field -they had almost lost Clint and Steve last time, they needed more muscle. But, they also needed Bruce out there, someone who could successfully trace and _hold_ the trace of the scepter out for them.

"I have certain control I'll admit that, but I have no way of being sure that when the other guy comes, he will -keep in line." He ended with another of his sarcastic chuckles, rubbing his eyes again, finally breaking eye contact.

"Neither do I." Her admission was quiet but honest. She didn't know if it was the actual words, or the fact she had tried to convey all of her honesty in them, but she got him to look at her with her with them.

"But I do know that whatever the Big Guy throws at us, we can handle it Bruce, all of us." She tried to make sure her eyes and tone conveyed her meaning, that when she talked about an 'us', she included him in that equation.

"And if you can't? If I -the other guy- hurt people we're not supposed to?"

And there it was, the reason for his tentativeness, for his discomfort and sulking. When it came down it, Bruce Banner's worst fear was hurting those who he now considered his friends, those he -cared about, and those innocent to the battle.

"Tony says Veronica is ready for use." She squirmed as she uttered the words; like the man in front of her, she wasn't overly fond of the tracking satellite and its weapons. "But she's designed for a worst case scenario Bruce, you haven't had an incident that severe since -"

"Since I tried to kill you?" He interrupted her, his voice low with a knowing half smile on his face which Natasha found herself wanting to knock out of him.

"We've already had this conversation, Dr. Banner." She quirked her eyebrow at him, both annoyed and amused.

"Yeah, that still doesn't make it untrue." He responded, finally stepping off the stool he had been sitting on, his body tense and slow as he moved towards the liquor cabinet.

Natasha stood up after him, closely following but never reaching him, keeping a distance she knew would be enough for him to know she was right behind, but not make him uncomfortable.

"Are you going to take the alcohol away from me again?" He asked, his back still to her, unaware of the concerned look she was giving him. Because she was concerned. She hadn't lied when she told him she had no idea if the Hulk wouldn't lose control, none of them did, but they all trusted Bruce -she trusted him (which was saying something). He needed to understand, to know he had a team backing him up, that she would be with him, just like in New York.

Bruce Banner was one the most - _extraordinary_ people Natasha had ever known, a man who had everything in him to win every fight, to secure himself the victory -yet he hesitated because of that reason, because he could win, no matter who paid the price.

"Not if you make me something to eat. Came in here for a quick lunch, you know? Figured I'd eat before Thor returns here."

Her comment got Bruce chuckling, and Natasha declared it a win, anything to bring the good doctor out of his melancholy mood.

"Deal." He turned as he said it, his voice firm and not as soft as before, a bit of that spark which would always be present in his tone every time she ended up visiting him in the lab (which was quite often).

He produced another bottle of vodka from the cabinet, throwing it to her.

Natasha caught it with a natural ability, quirking an eyebrow at him in amusement. This was the third bottle she had seen him drink. She approved.

Bruce's other domain, Natasha had discovered over the course of the couple of months she had been staying at the tower, was the kitchen; he loved cooking and more often than not ended up cooking their meals.

Tony was a finer cook (when he decided to actually lift a pan), his dishes far more sophisticated and refined, but Bruce's cooking was Natasha's favorite; it was exploratory and the same dish never tasted the same twice, but was always pleasing to the palate. The rich, warm, sizzling flavors made Natasha feel more at home than anything else the Tower provided.

She ended up helping him make a quick pasta dish, with the sauce made from scratch. The bottle of vodka sat in the counter, both of them only reaching for it once, right before starting to eat.

They clinked their glasses and drowned the liquid.

Bruce couldn't help but observe her while they ate in silence, both having too much on their minds to actually be able to voice it all. She looked fierce, her red hair recently cut and properly combed, her black uniform clinging to her body perfectly, the added blue lines in the design making her look -better, if that had been even possible. Most importantly though, she looked relaxed; her shoulders were down, her hands open and resting comfortably on the counter, her eyes soft and contemplative.

He remembered when she had come back from the Avengers' first raid, an unsuccessful mission in St. Petersburg. She had gone into his lab, her eyes fixed on the work, her shoulders straightened as if she were still in battle, her movements calculated and her voice -stoic. She had told him later that night, how they had almost lost Clint, how she had to kill what she had presumed had been three HYDRA agents and managed to end up killing one civilian in the process.

She had gone off to their next raid with a haunted look in her eyes which Bruce had managed to identify in her. But there were no traces of that same haunted woman in front of him.

Bruce didn't know, because even if she had been trying to be a little more open with the 'team', even if she had become one of the two people he considered his closet friends, she was still a mystery to him most of the time, constantly surprising him. So he didn't know the reason she was calm on this day, especially considering it was to be the day he was finally going to go out into the field for the first time since New York.

She threw him a side smile, one without warning or reason, just as she finished off her plate; a calm, nice little smile she had been using around him more lately. Bruce stared and blinked as a thought entered his mind –a very stupid and even frightful thought. But it couldn't be true, it was an idealistic side of him which he shot down immediately what had managed to even consider the possibility of –that.

"We should get down to the lab, check on Veronica and I can debrief you on what the mission consists."

"Why are you -calm?"

His questioned startled Natasha, made her eye him puzzlingly and made her eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"I think you know me better than to assume I'm something by just the-"

"You know you're right in something, I do know you better, better than Stark, better than Steve. But I still don't really know you that well Natasha, and I certainly don't understand you, I don't think I'll ever will."

His statement shouldn't have pained Natasha as much as it did; so she shrugged the sinking feeling aside, they had a mission -she had a mission: to get him calm and relaxed enough so they could finish the other mission. Her brain was starting to hurt, an occurrence she had already come to associate with being in Bruce Banner's presence for far too long a time. He made her brain –distracted.

"It's not always about understanding, Bruce. Sometimes it's about trust. I trust you, I trust the other guy." She paused, debating for a second on whether to continue on or stop. "It's taken me years -years, to learn how to do this and it doesn't come easily or with everyone, but with you, doctor -I trust you. I think it's time you trust yourself."

Her rawness and honesty amazed Bruce to the point where words ran from him, all his arguments, all his worries and questionings gone from his mind, replaced by her words, her admission.

It was true, every word she had told him. Bruce Banner was a man who had earned Natasha's trust and care, and she was getting tired of him not seeing that. She was working on it, on being a good friend, a better person, someone who lived up to the name of an Avenger. He _needed_ to understand he was trusted. Most importantly, Natasha realized, she simply wanted him to understand she had his back and she trusted him to have hers, both in his lab and the Tower, and out in the field.

He eyed her, his brown eyes staring directly into her green orbs, both of them wearing a mask to hide their emotions back, neither wanting to give too much, but their bodies spoke for them -loud and clear. Her posture was rigid, demanding; his was guarded, a bit uncomfortable and -defeated.

His shoulders slumped and he sighed, his eyes drifting to the floor for a second before returning to her face.

"You said you'd debrief me then?" His tone oozed defeat, his weak half smile offering her an apology while at the same time informing her that he was still uneasy.

Natasha hadn't expected anything less. All she had wanted was a window of acceptance for her to be able to maneuver him out of his depressive zone and back into life, into the actions of the day.

"Yes, I tell you the fun stuff and you help us make it unfun." She teased, hoping he would follow her humor.

"I thought that was Steve's job." He didn't fail, his half smile now coming off a bit more sincere than the one he had given her before.

"No, it's yours, it even comes with a plaque, you should be proud."

"I'll be sure to hang it up near my desk then."

She smirked at him, following him out of the kitchen into the corridor.

"You really don't trust me, do you?" She found herself asking, surprised by the rawness and vulnerability of her own voice. She knew Bruce meant a lot to her, he was someone she cared about, a friend she was willing to defend and stand by with. But the amount of feeling she had towards the man came as a sudden surprise to her as she found herself uttering that question.

With the calmest of voices, and the softest of eyes she had ever seen on him, he answered her.

"You were right before, it's not you I don't trust. It's myself."

It was a decision made in less than a second, a realization which came unto her like a wave hitting the sand. She reached for his hand, ignoring his amazed expression and the strange sensation having his warm and hard hand in hers provoked. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"It's a good thing you have people to remind you then."

And with that, she left Bruce speechless for the second time that day.

She quickly withdrew her hand, not wanting to overthink her actions. Bruce Banner confused her, and the thought both scared her and excited her at the same time and she still did not know what she wanted to do about it, but the need to comfort him had been too strong to ignore and so she had reached out to him. She had felt how he reacted to her touch, both of the times she had grazed his skin; she let her mind wonder if the same calming effect would occur on the Big Guy if someone were to touch him, but she quickly shook her idea from her brain as an absurdity. No one could get that close to the Hulk without the threat of being -at least- severely beaten.

"Ms. Romanoff, Dr. Banner; Mr. Stark is looking for both of you, he is currently calling from your floor, doctor." The AI program informed, his voice as modest and patient as ever.

"Uh, thanks JARVIS. We'll be right down." Bruce answered, glad in finding his voice still sounded clever and coherent.

"I'll inform Mr. Stark."

"Your boyfriend beat us to it, then?" She teased, quickening her pace towards the elevator.

"Yeah…" He admitted, his mind starting to go over the things he remember having left in an accessible area for Tony to stumble upon. "We should hurry before he ends up breaking one of the circuits we made last week."

And like that, both strutted to the elevator, their past conversation not forgotten but pushed aside, they had a more important matter at hand.

He was going with them, that at least was certain, for all his troubles he never denied his involvement and for that, Natasha was grateful, they needed him, both parts of him, whether Bruce wanted to admit it or not.

"Hey, did you put a lock on the WidowsBite Stabilizer?" Natasha suddenly asked, her eyes wide as she remembered the work Bruce had doing for the past week.

Bruce's eyes widen as he remembered -he hadn't. "Oh shit, no. JARVIS!"

She gave a small laugh at his worried expression, quickly regaining her composure. The man next to her truly was someone different to all the rest of them. Natasha like that about him, liked his sense of peace and tranquility, the stability he lived his life with, always cautious of his surroundings, always looking out for others. It was something she always tried to incorporate in her life as well.

The thoughts which threatened to invade her mind were ones she had never experienced before, ones she had been taught at a very young age to compartmentalize and even ignore. But they were there, in the back of her mind every time she turned to look at him or was near him, thoughts which somehow panicked Natasha even more than facing down his alter ego.

She shook her head, it wasn't the time to ponder over such things, and they had an eventful day ahead of them. She would sort out her mind when they returned to the Tower, right now, all her focus was on one and one thing only: to get Stark away from her new tech.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: So this would be the last chapter. Thanks to everyone for reading and to the guest reviewers I couldn't reply to, thank you as well.

Don't think I'll ever own something as big as this. All mistake are still mine and my Spanish speaking mind.

* * *

Gunshots were coming from her front, steady and predictable. Natasha tried hard not to smirk at the amusement such event brought unto her.

"See, now _this_ reminds me of Budapest." Clint's voice came from behind her.

She smirked at him as she took out three more guys, each one with a single Stark custom bullet.

"This reminds me of us training in Buenos Aires. On your six." She offered back as she turned and took care of one of the two HYDRA agents which had managed to creep up on Clint. Her partner took care of the other.

"We're never going to see eye to eye on this subject. Duck."

Natasha had already kneeled before he had instructed her to do so.

"Boys, what's taking so long?" She called after firing against another agent. The com was silent.

"Hey, geniuses, anyone copy?" Barton backed her up, firing one of his arrows.

"Calm down Legolas. There's some kind of field blocking the coms near the south entrance, very high tech. Cap, gimme good news."

Natasha rolled her eyes at the jest, but Barton didn't even flinch, taking another agent down. There were coming in less armed each time. Again, Natasha suppressed her amusement. She should have been glad the mission hadn't been more than they could handle, if not for them, then at least for Bruce, who was still in the Quinjet, feeding them information and patiently waiting for them to return.

"Uh, we seem to have found one of the main HYDRA bases." Steve's voice came through the com and had both Clint and Nat looking worryingly towards each other.

"Fantastic, and the bad?" Tony's voice inquired, a little tense, a little sarcastic and a little flamboyant.

"They're sending reinforcements."

No sooner had the Captain uttered the words when Natasha could feel the rest coming, hundreds of sloppy and rushed footsteps; she could hear the loading of the guns and the rolling of tires.

"Shit", Clint called turning to his left. Natasha followed his example, reaching for her back up piece -two guns were always much more fun after all.

"The Captain and I can hold off the main force by the east window. Stark you can cover-"

"The South entrance, got it Thunder man. JARVIS."

"We'll keep 'em busy in the west." Natasha suggested already firing a couple of rounds at the first shadows which came unto her range.

For a couple of seconds the only sounds coming out of their com devices were the grunts and shots fired as each Avenger fought earnestly.

"Ok, no one's saying it, so I'm gonna call it."

"Stark don't, not until-" Natasha tried to interrupt him, to tell him that she had promised Bruce they would try and hold off the perimeter as much as they could before calling him in, she had promised she had his back.

"Barton, Rogers, gimme the numbers." Tony called out, completely ignoring Natasha.

"We're-" she reloaded her gun and shot two more agents, "fine." They were nearer now, quickly closing in on them -they looked to be about thirty or forty. She could take them, Clint and she could handle the situation just fine.

"Fifty on our side. Cap?"

"Close to a hundred." Steve informed, his grunts and Thor's angry throws could be heard over the coms, followed by Stark's fire and Clint's steady and soft arrow flinging.

"Sorry Romanoff, but we're not taking chances. He did well last time." It was Steve who called out, a grunt following his voice.

Natasha was bothered by Steve's statement, but didn't say anything as HYDRA soldiers finally closed in on them, forcing both Nat and Clint into hand-to-hand combat. She flung herself at one, shot another and used the one she was about to take down with her legs to hit a third.

The fighting made it difficult to voice her discomfort, but it was still there. Steve's cautious voice as he had given her an -apology, as if it was her permission they needed to call the green code -they didn't need hers, they needed it Bruce's. He was the one who got exposed every time he let the Hulk out, the one who ended up bruised and weakened after each _Hulkout_. No matter how well his transformations went, getting him back to being Bruce always left the scientist exhausted. Yes, last time he had been a big help, but the Hulk had taken a beating which had left Bruce shaken up for a couple of days, his backside hurting with no apparent medical reason.

"No one is calling it until we're certain we can't-" She breathed out between kicks, but was cut off by the iron man.

"Doctor, this is a code green, report to the north side. Smash everything black and evil."

She was going to murder Stark; those were her thoughts as she heard Bruce's mild and strained reply of acceptance while she shot three more people and kicked another two.

The roar came a couple of seconds after that. The Hulk was out.

Natasha turned towards where she could hear the thumping and roaring of the last member of the team, her eyes trying hard to find him, to ensure he was fine and - why lie? She wanted to be sure the Hulk didn't stray from his path.

"Nat!" Clint called her back, making her turn and shoot another agent.

Turning back to where she had been looking for Bruce she ducked as a flying piece of dismantled car flew pass her.

He was near then.

She heard him again before finally seeing him; he landed almost ten feet away from her, his brows furrowed, his grin a bit maniacal and his eyes rapidly moving from HYDRA agent to another. He suddenly turned, his vibrant green eyes finding her flop of vibrant, red hair and settling on her face.

She felt her body tense, an instinct which she was trying to kill; she wasn't afraid, she couldn't be. Her eyes relaxed first, her stare firmly on his face, on his rage filled orbs.

He stared, didn't move, didn't even flinch as a tank shot at him. The rage which everyone -including Natasha- had come to associate with the green giant suddenly dissipated from his eyes, making his stare look -softened.

"Go", she encouraged. She didn't think as she spoke the words, they came naturally, an almost whisper which she was glad he took to heart, as the Hulk grinned at her before leaping out of the way, roaring and smashing the cars he had taken with him.

Natasha followed him until she lost him to the horizon. She then let a breath she hadn't realize she had been holding, he would be fine.

As she fought the rest of the agents and goons HYDRA sent her way, her mind reeled, thinking and analyzing everything about Bruce Banner and the Hulk. She analyzed the cold hard facts and the soft edges she had discovered from living with the man.

Even if the Hulk had proved to be a valuable asset, and more than calm enough when Bruce controlled his own transformation, Natasha had never seen the doctor's alter ego look at anyone with so much -recognition. They knew he more or less could identify they were a team, and the Hulk seemed to be keen on protecting and helping them achieve their goals (no matter the cost). But only towards Tony had the Big Guy ever shown any sing of emotion other than anger. And yet, Natasha pondered as she kicked down the last of the black dressed agents, she had never seen the Big Guy stare at Tony the way he had just stared at her.

"We're all clear here. Stark?" Clint asked, suddenly appearing next to Natasha, his eyes doing a quick sweep of the area.

"Clear on every end. The base is ours and ready to become a quite cozy winter home. JARVIS, how quickly can new buy this place?"

The rest of the team rolled their eyes at his jest, but breathed out a sigh of relief as confirmation of their victory was proclaimed.

"I wouldn't recommend it sir."

As the rest of the boys agreed with JARVIS over the com, each mumbling their annoyance and discomfort towards the iron man, Natasha withheld her comments -not because she didn't have any (she always had snarky comments at the ready when it came to Stark) but because her focus shifted as she felt the slightest move around her, a shift not noticeable to any regular person. But she wasn't just any regular person.

Bruce. Someone needed to find him, needed to- she stopped in her tracks, suddenly feeling the ground shaking intensively beneath her, hearing his roars which were coming more like grunts as she listened closely.

Veronica was meant to be used for emergencies, for a situation when not even Tony or Steve could control the Big Guy. They had almost used the dreaded machine the last two times they had gone out.

If Natasha called it in, Stark and Rogers would come, try and kick Bruce out of it and end up enraging the Big Guy.

The definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome. Steve and Tony had tried the same thing two times and both had ended with Bruce changing back into himself, pained and shaken, with a look of dread on his face which pained Natasha to behold.

Empathy was a skill, something which had been taught to her early on in her life, it was one of the most fundamental tools when trying to manipulate your intended target. Natasha could easily empathize with the situations around her, she could understand the logic and reasoning behind someone else's emotions and thus she knew how to asses them, how to meet their needs. But genuine concern, one which sprouted from deep within her could only be easily summoned by the Bartons; and as she had looked at Bruce's pain-filled expression after his last transformation, she had come to realize, it now also came out for Bruce.

She remembered a thought which had crossed her mind weeks back, when she had found him in the kitchen, anxious and sulking the morning away: no one was crazy enough to approach the Hulk, for it was a sure way of insuring getting physically hurt. But they had already tried it the other way, by attacking him from a distance, and still no luck had come of that.

The boys were still fighting with Stark, each trying to get a say in what was to become of the base and its components. She could hear Steve arguing something about Hill, Thor trying to convince them to let him take the items to Asgard for safekeeping, Clint making wisecracks about the shitty view the place had, while Tony remarked that he wasn't interested in it for the view.

Steve called out to her, asking for her whereabouts, his voice steady, radiating the leadership she was now getting used to hearing from him.

"I'm closing in on the base. Thought I saw an abandoned bunker and went to check it out, it was a false alarm."

Steve bought her lie and soon rejoined the conversation the boys were having.

The Hulk's grunts were becoming louder, as if he were frustrated about something.

When he finally came into her view, Natasha's eyes went wide as she took in the size of him, larger than she remembered -greener too. She was glad in finding she truly wasn't afraid, but nevertheless she was still cautious.

She moved steadily, convincing herself that she could do this, that if anyone on the team could try to understand the Hulk, it was her. She had the ability to read and manipulate people and situations, an ability given to her by years of exhaustive training; but she also had the past few months backing her up, those evenings in the lab, at the 'play room', the dry jokes he shared with her and the teasing she enjoyed making him suffer through.

Truth was, Bruce Banner wasn't like any man Natasha had ever known before, and every day which passed convinced her more of it. Bruce Banner had managed to do the impossible, which was break through her defense walls and meet her at the other side. She shivered at the thought, still getting used to the feeling of caring so much for the good doctor.

He turned to her, as if he could feel her body's reactions to the thought of him.

"Hey Big Guy." She called, her voice calm and inviting, using all of her training in order to properly assess the situation, in order to try and find some control in the impossible, uncontrollable force which was the Hulk.

He grunted, not angry, but definitely not the relaxed figure he had been before he had jumped off to help them.

"Fighting's done. The job's finished and Tony and Clint are bickering over fireplaces and retriever dogs. We also managed to kick some HYDRA ass."

Another grunt, but his eyes softened a bit. His hands unclenched from the fists he had them in and he took a step towards her.

"So how about you let Bruce come back to us, huh Big Guy?"

His eyes got angrier and his grunt a little louder, but he didn't make fists and he didn't look as if he were about to attack her.

Natasha remained in place, her posture never faltering, her eyes never leaving his face, searching for her friend, for the caring, adoring, dork of a man she had come to care about so much in the past few months.

"Sun's getting low, and temperature is not exactly ideal for staying here long. And I know, that sounds ridiculous coming out of the mouth of a Russian." She joked, hoping the humor would spark some recognition in him.

This time it wasn't a grunt, but a heavy huff, as if were assessing her, taking everything about her in.

Natasha blinked a couple of times as she came to realize she knew that expression, the furrowed brows and intense looking eyes: it was Bruce.

"Bruce?" She asked, softly but never any less secure than before.

This time the Big Guy didn't react negatively to the naming of his alter ego, but quirked his head to the side, still observing the small red haired woman who dared to talk to him so close, so close and unarmed.

The Big Guy took another step forward and her breath managed to hitch, not in fear, but in astonishment.

He extended his hand towards her, big, green and -tentative, as if her were trying to prove her existence.

She stared at it, coming her way, but Natasha didn't see the green, giant hand; she saw Bruce in the kitchen, amazed by her touch, soothed by it. She was already half way there, already standing bare before one the strongest forces on earth. She wouldn't stop at just having the Hulk calm, her mission was to get Bruce back and she was willing to do anything for it - the thought scared her more than she cared to admit, but she shook it aside, filed it for later, filed it for when she gotten the doctor back.

She followed his example and raised her own hand, reaching for him the same way he was towards her.

He didn't flinch, but did quirk his head again, clearly confused at seeing her mimicking him.

"You did well Big Guy." She uttered as her gloved hand came in contact with his green skin, rough and calloused in a way which was similar to Bruce's own hand. She could feel his pulse, steady and strong. She could also hear his breathing, calm and controlled in a way she had never noticed before.

The Big Guy grunted as she moved her hand from his hand to his wrist, than back again to his hands; her fingers delicately grazing his skin, her eyes fixed on his arm and flicking over to his eyes, watching him, telling him the most important thing the Hulk had ever been told: she wasn't afraid of him.

The green guy stumbled back, roaring as he tripped and fell.

Natasha jumped back, careful of not blocking the Hulk's path. But he didn't fall forwards, he tumbled down on his back, rolling unto his stomach, clutching a tree and rocks, his breath coming out in loud huffs.

"Bruce?"

The Hulk roared at hearing the name, quickly standing and turning to her, his eyes filled with -confusion. She was wearing him down and he had no idea of neither why or how.

She put up her hands to him, her face as neutral as she could manage to present it.

"No one's hurting you Bruce, no one's a threat to you. It's just me, just you and me, like old times, huh?"

He reached out to her once more, she didn't hesitate in bringing her hand up to meet his, quickly getting rid of her glove and tossing it aside, not wanting to take any chances. It had been human contact what Bruce had need that night, and Natasha couldn't help but think it was the exact same thing the Hulk craved: the warmth of a human.

She repeated her past actions, feeling for his pulse and moving her hand up his wrist and down his hand.

The Big Guy looked puzzlingly at her again, stumbling once more, sending her a quick look of -confusion.

"It's ok, no one's going to hurt you -either of you."

The giant tripped and landed on all fours, his breathing coming out in quick pants as Natasha's eyes widen in amazement at what they were perceiving.

He was shrinking.

She had done it.

She rushed to him as soon as she saw the green fade from his body.

"Bruce?" She called to him, scrunching down to the ground, a hand laid gently on his trembling shoulder.

For a couple of seconds there was no answer, only the ragged sound of his breathing and the shivering of his body.

"God, it is freezing!" Came his answer, his eyes shut closed, his arms circling his own -naked- body both because of the temperature and because he was slowly regaining his sense of self and modesty.

"Holy shit!" Came Tony's voice over the com.

Bruce half smirked, Natasha ignored it.

"Nat, where are you and Banner?" Clint's voice came loud and clear, concern in his tone which no one but Natasha could have picked up.

"We're fine, we'll meet you all back at the Quinjet." She answered, her eyes never leaving the doctor's figure.

Bruce looked at her, his eyes barely opening, his body still shivering from the cold, his now longer curls moving with the brisk wind.

She couldn't read him, couldn't tell what his mind was processing, all she knew for a fact was that the man was cold and in need of clothing.

"Come on." She called, standing up, offering him help in standing. He didn't move, but continued to stare at her.

She quirked her eyebrow at him, he simply smirked and turned his eyes towards his own -naked- body.

Oh, the doctor was bashful.

"I gotta say Banner, not how I'd pictured you getting naked." She teased, enjoying how he blushed, the tint of red spreading all across his cheeks.

"Yeah well, that makes both of us." He chuckled, more at himself than at her, looking round to see if he could spot any form of cloth or rag from his previous clothing.

Natasha followed his gaze, managing to come across a piece of what she assumed had been his pants. Perfect.

Bruce smiled in thanks as she retrieved something to cover himself up. She shouldn't have been able to do what she had one with the Hulk, people had tried in the past and it had never ended up -well. There was only one person who had almost managed to calm the monster down, but Bruce found it painful to dwell on such memories.

"Thank you." He bashfully accepted the torn up pants Natasha handed him, completely evading her concern and question filled eyes. He couldn't answer questions which he had no answers to.

"Did you know you could turn back like that? Without needing to knock the Big Guy unconscious?" She asked him as he finally stood up, his legs a bit weak and unsteady, his chest feeling like he had just been swimming underwater.

"No, I didn't." He admitted, his stare on his feet, his voice laced with both amazement and confusion.

She couldn't help but stare as he regained his strength. Even if the Hulk didn't suffer any major injuries, the transformation always managed to leave its mark on the doctor, leaving him weak and sometimes a bit disoriented.

They started making their way back to the Quinjet, Natasha led and Bruce followed close behind, weakly trying to smile at her every time she turned to check up on him. She was worried, that much he could distinguish.

Amazing, was the word he would use to describe Natasha, worried about him when she knew he was physically fine (or would be in a couple of minutes-hours). She should have been more concerned for herself, for what she had just done, what she had exposed herself to.

There were few people Bruce knew who were stronger than Natasha -come to think of it, there was no one Bruce knew stronger than the former spy. Still, he couldn't help the concern and worry which came over him as his mind cleared from the initial fogginess which came with each transformation and he realized what she had done.

He knew her better than to call her out on it though.

He couldn't stop staring, and while normally Natasha wouldn't have minded the attention, would have even found it -endearing, she found herself not tolerating it. It was a stare of disbelief and wonder, of intrigue and worry. It was the worry part of it which made her feel uneasy.

"Bruce", she called.

"Yeah, sorry." He called back, his face returning to stare at the ground, at his bare feet and the soft but freezing snow he had to walk through.

How had they ended up there? In a place where he knew what she meant by simply stating his name? Had she been more open with him than she had originally thought? Was he even far more adept at reading her than she have him credit for?

Natasha was suddenly hit with the memory of an isolated shack in Calcutta, of a surprising turnabout in what she had thought had been a situation under _her_ control.

She needed to remember, Bruce Banner's specialty was surprising her.

"You do realize you shouldn't have been able to do what you just did? Pulling me out from him like that?" He voiced, softly and with incredulity.

"All I realize is that you're back, no harm done." She gave him a cryptic answer, one where he couldn't read her thoughts or emotions, which Bruce was certain she had to be feeling; no one came that close the Other Guy, no one brought him back from a _Hulkout_ and casually strolled about afterwards.

Natasha was thankful, that he didn't sound angry because of what she had done; something which always had been a possibility. What Bruce most cared about was the safety of his team, and going up one-on-one with the Big Guy was considered anything but safe, both by him and the rest of the team. Natasha had taken a leap of trust, and she was more than glad it had worked, even more that he still hadn't reprimanded her on it.

"Yeah, that's the impossible thing right there." He muttered, more to himself than towards her, but Natasha heard and she knew he knew she had, they hadn't spent the last few months being complete strangers after all.

"A word I wouldn't have thought still existed after New York." She shot back at him, a quick little smirk on her face and a little glint in her eyes which made Bruce give her a quick half smile back and wonder how the hell had he managed to keep someone as remarkable as Natasha a close friend?

"I guess I like to be surprised every now and then?" He offered, catching up with her. His brain still pounded and his body shivered with cold, but his strength was almost back and he could finally fully open his eyes.

"Glad to know I'm not the only one who gets surprised in this relationship." She teased back, looking out front but still keeping a side view of him and his reaction: the stunned blinking of his eyes and the quick bob of his Adam's apple.

The Quinjet came into view then, and Natasha heard Bruce's audible sigh of relief. She turned to snap a quick look, she could finally read into his eyes and she saw the exhaustion in them, both physically and mentally.

"Come on, better beat the team or Clint will steal the best seat from you and you'll have to sit near Stark and his never ending questions." She encouraged, reaching for his hand.

The sudden contact made him tense, more in surprise than discomfort, but he quickly relaxed into it, turning to stare at the woman whose hand he was now firmly holding. She was smiling at him, a nice, calm grin which told Bruce more than anything she had said to him ever since he turned back. She was relieved and happy he was back, that she had been able to coax him out of the -Hulk without hurting either of them.

Bruce had never met, and would probably never meet anyone like her, someone with her strength and her wit, but most importantly, someone who not only was she not afraid of the Other Guy, but cared about him too. Bruce gulped as he felt his insides suddenly squirm and felt a cooling sensation down his arms which had nothing to do with the freezing weather but more with the woman holding his hand.

Natasha squeezed his hand, same as she had a week ago, and let go.

But why had she let go so quickly? She found herself asking. When she had first reached for him weeks prior, right before his first outing, she had evaded the thought, had pushed it aside and focused on what their mission had been going to be. She hadn't known how to handle what her mind was feeling, what she had found herself suddenly thinking. But now?

As they finally arrived at the jet, she let Bruce pass through first, keeping a watchful eye out for Stark, Clint or any of the others, she wanted him to have time to himself to find his ground before being exposed to their never subtle teammates.

She had risked her safety -because no matter how good of a super spy she was, she too was vulnerable when it came to fighting against the Hulk- not because she had wanted to prove something to anyone, or to create and uphold a reputation; she had gone in front of the green guy because she found she cared too much about him and most importantly, she cared about the man behind those raging, green eyes.

"Cap, we're back at the jet. Where'd you wonder off to this time?" She called from her com device.

"Just five minutes from you, we had to call Hill back at HQ." The Captain informed and Natasha nodded, even if she was aware the good old American hero couldn't see her.

"Hey," she called out to Bruce, taking a seat next to him, watching him as he covered himself up with a blanket. "I got your headphones in my duffel."

"You carry a duffel?"

"Only when I try to convince science nerds to relax after a rough day."

"Mhm"

She smiled at him, not caring that his head was currently facing the ground, his eyes closed and his breathing coming in and out in well controlled pants.

She was scared, she wasn't going to deny it, but she had been feeling terrified of it for weeks now and the feeling was slowly becoming a pleasant one, one in which adrenaline cursed through her body and made her want to try something more, to push a little and see what could happen.

She gently laid a hand on his arm, deciding she would listen to that adrenaline filled impulse.

"So can we call you Hulk tamer now?"

Bruce groaned and threw the blanket over his head as Natasha abruptly turned and shot a glare at Stark and the rest of the team, warning them against saying anything else regarding the matter. She needed to properly talk to Bruce about it first, then she could allow the boys to joke about it.

"Fine ok, out of line, but you've got to admit, you kind of did -sort of- just tame him."

Natasha rolled her eyes and glared at Clint as she heard him give a light chuckle.

"So Cap, what's the final report?" She deviated the conversation, making Steve snap his eyes from where her hand still rested on Bruce's arm towards her face.

Natasha's stare was intense and made Steve gulp as he answered her, her declaration clear: leave the comments regarding the Hulk for later, there was still work to be done.

The next raid came two weeks later, a code green was uttered by Clint and Natasha had silently agreed with it, they were severely outnumbered.

In the end, the base fell and Steve took control of it, calling Hill and reporting the absence of the main prize: the scepter.

"Hey Romanoff, how about you sing your little song and make the Hulk fall asleep? I could use Banner up here."

"It's not a lullaby Stark." She argued, her eyes and ears already trying to find the Big Guy.

"Well, whatever it was you did last time, think you're up for doing it again?"

"Wow, you're actually asking?"

"Romanoff."

"Found him." She whispered at last, as she came to face with the green giant, roaring and grunting, smashing trees into what was the rubble of some destroyed HYDRA tanks.

He heard her, turning around to face her and giving out a roar, yet never moving towards an attack.

Natasha breathed deeply. She had done this once, she knew it worked, she had seen it herself. She had to try again.

Bruce had agreed to it. As long as the Other Guy didn't hurt her, she was free to try and repeat what she had accomplished last time. It had been his only condition and opinion when he had been confronted by Natasha about the subject the next day.

It had been an easier conversation than what Natasha had expected.

Bruce had known the conversation would be happening, and after having thought about it for the entire night he had come to a conclusion: he really did not know why Natasha had managed to change him back. So in Bruce's mind there was no point in arguing more about the issue. Not when even trying to begin to understand it gave him a pounding headache.

The bottom line was, he trusted her.

"Hey Big Guy," she called.

The Big Guy huffed loudly, but relaxed his fists.

Natasha couldn't help but smile a bit, remembering what she had said last time, trying to get him to recognize her and what she was about to do. Her goal was to try and avoid the confusion she had created with him during that first time, establish a routine so he understood what it was she wanted to accomplish.

So she took her glove off and raised her hand to him, a subtle smile on her lips.

"Sun's getting real low."


End file.
